Anthocyanins, but not Anthocyanidins, from Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillusL.) Alleviate Pruritus via Inhibition of Mast Cell Degranulation

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.)

Inflammation is important in the pathogenesis of several chronic diseases. The anti-inflammatory properties of berries have been investigated but the anti-inflammatory activity of bilberry has received little attention and a detailed review is yet to be published. Therefore, we compiled information on the phytochemicals of bilberry and preclinical and clinical studies of its anti-inflammatory properties. The review was based on studies from 2007 to date. Phytoconstituents of bilberries were phenolic acids, organic acids, anthocyanins, coumarins, flavonols, flavanols, tannins, terpenoids, and volatile chemicals. Data from cell and animal model studies show that bilberry has an anti-inflammatory effect by lowering tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β expression, inducing nitric oxide synthases and cyclooxygenases, and altering the nuclear factor kappa B and Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathways. Bilberry supplementation as fruits (frozen, processed, and whole), juices, and anthocyanins reduced levels of inflammatory markers in most clinical studies of metabolic disorders. Therefore, bilberry may be useful for the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders.

Fermented blueberry and black rice containing Lactobacillus plantarum MG4221: a novel functional food for particulate matter (PM2.5)/dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis

Particulate matter (PM_2.5) is a risk factor for the deterioration of atopic dermatitis (AD) and certain constituents of PM_2.5 can induce inflammation via oxidative stress. Natural functional foods, including antioxidative blueberry and black rice, can be the best alternative for the development of AD therapy. Thus, we investigated whether PM_2.5 regulated the expression of proinflammatory cytokines involved in the progression of AD and further investigated the improvement effect of fermented blueberry and black rice extract (FBBBR) containing Lactobacillus plantarum MG4221 in vitro and in vivo. The FBBBR treatment significantly ameliorated skin inflammation compared with the control treatments via regulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathways in PM_2.5-treated HaCaT cells. In PM_2.5/dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-treated NC/Nga mice, the oral administration of FBBBR significantly decreased transepidermal water loss and erythema, the incidence of scratching behavior, and the production of serum immunoglobin E and T helper 2-associated cytokine and, similar to dexamethasone treatment, up-regulated the protein expression of filaggrin and involucrin in skin tissue. Syringic acid and kuromanin, standard compounds found in FBBBR, significantly decreased the interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 levels in PM_2.5-treated HaCaT cells. Therefore, we can suggest that FBBBR may serve as an important functional food for AD.

Recent advances in extracting phenolic compounds from food and their use in disease prevention and as cosmetics

Phenolic compounds in plants are essential components of human nutrition, which provide various health benefits. However, some missing links became the research in phenolic compounds structures and potential applications in a challenging work. Despite universal extraction methods with mixtures of different organic solvents are generally adopted in the analysis of phenolic compounds, a need for establish a specific procedure is still open. The great heterogeneity in food and food by-products matrices and the lack of standardized methods which combine chromatographic with spectrophotometric techniques to calculate the amount of phenolic compounds joined with the absence of specific standards hamper to accurate know the real amount of phenolic compounds. Indeed, the high complexity in nature and chemistry of phenolic compounds clearly difficult to establish a daily intake to obtain certain healthy outcomes. Hence, despite the potential of phenolic compounds to use them in cosmetic and healthy applications have been widely analyzed, some concerns must be considered. The chemical complexity, the interactions between phenolic compounds and other food components and the structural changes induced by food processing joined with the lack in the understanding of phenolic compounds metabolism and bioavailability undergo the need to conduct a comprehensive review of each factors influencing the final activity of phenolic compounds. This paper summarizes the potential of phenolic compounds for disease prevention and cosmetics production, as well as their many other uses derived from their antioxidant activity. This paper illustrates the potential of phenolic compounds for disease prevention and cosmetics production, as well as their many other uses derived from their antioxidant activity.

Vaccinium myrtillus L. Fruits as a Novel Source of Phenolic Compounds with Health Benefits and Industrial Applications - A Review

Consumers' demand for healthier foods with functional properties has had a clear influence on the food industry and in this sense, they have been attaching natural sources of bioactive ingredients into food products. Vaccinium myrtillus L. (bilberry) is known to be a functional food, presenting its fruits in the form of a small dark blueberry. This coloration is due to its high content in anthocyanin, being also associated with bilberries' beneficial health effects. In the bilberry industry, there is a very high annual loss of this fruit due to the less aesthetic shape or appearance, in which they cannot be considered suitable for sale and are therefore disposed of as biological waste. Therefore, it is of great importance to valorize this fruit and this review aimed to completely characterize the fruits of V. myrtillus in order to comprehend the relationship between their consumption and the beneficial effects regarding consumer's health. Thus, this review provides a description of the nutritional and bioactive compounds present in bilberry fruits, followed by their beneficial health effects. An overview of the natural pigments present in these fruits was also explored, focusing particularly in the anthocyanins composition, which represents the most widely studied class of bioactive compounds of V. myrtillus fruits. Finally, industrial applications of these fruits and by-products, as an efficient approach to the production of value-added products with economical and environmental impact, were also discussed. In general, V. myrtillus is a rich source of micronutrients and phytochemical compounds, such as organic acids, sugars, vitamins, fibers and phenolic compounds (anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin compounds), with nutritional and functional properties, that justify the growing interest in these berries, not only for food applications, but also in the pharmaceutical industry.

Difficulty for consumers in choosing commercial bilberry supplements by relying only on product label information

Background:

Various kinds of bilberry supplements have recently become available on the market. However, it is doubtful whether consumers receive accurate information to be able to compare different supplements.

Objective:

We aimed to investigate whether consumers can obtain the expected benefits by relying only on the information printed on the product labels of commercial bilberry supplements.

Materials and Methods:

The quality of 20 supplements was investigated by the spectrophotometric method and ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC). Each peak was identified by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and quantified using an external standard. The percentage of the actual measured value relative to the indicated value on the product label was determined using the spectrophotometric method. The daily dosage was calculated from the total amount of anthocyanins quantified by UHPLC and information on the product label.

Results:

In 14 of 20 supplements, the total anthocyanin content expressed as delphinidin equivalents was within 20% of the labeled value. However, the extent of degradation could not be determined by the spectrophotometric method. In fresh bilberry fruit, anthocyanidins were barely detected. In 8 of 20 supplements, the anthocyanidin content was >1.0%. The daily dosage of anthocyanins varied by about 66-fold among supplements, and the dosage of 6 supplements was less than the recommended level in Japan.

Conclusions:

Consumers cannot always obtain the expected benefits by relying only on product label information. Therefore, new rules concerning product label information are required to make it possible for consumers to take the equivalent amounts of anthocyanins for whichever bilberry supplement they choose.